Michael McGurk, a respected and beloved dealer executive with a passion for helping others, passed away last weekend following an illness.
An industry veteran of 40 years, Mr. McGuirk is perhaps best known for his tenure as the president of ProCopy in Tempe, Arizona, from 2010 until his retirement in 2022. However, his reach and impact extended deep into the office technology dealer community. He served as president of the Business Technology Association West from 2020 to 2022, sat on the National BTA Board from 2022 to 2024, and had a stint as president with the Select Dealer Group peer organization. Mr. McGuirk also found time to serve on Ricoh’s National Dealer Council as well as his local chapter of the Better Business Bureau. Away from the office, he supported Junior Achievement and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
An Arizona State University graduate, he joined the office technology world at age 22 after hearing glowing reports from friends who’d entered the field and not only made good money but loved their work. Mr. McGuirk became an area vice president during a nine-year stint with DANKA Office Imaging in the Phoenix area. Prior to joining ProCopy, he served as president of Arizona Office Technologies.
While an accomplished dealer executive, Mr. McGuirk chose to keep himself grounded, free from complacency and always striving to improve. In a 2019 ENX Magazine interview marking his selection as a Difference Maker, he recounted his inauspicious beginning as a salesperson and his determination to improve.
“It is almost the same as president as it was when I started as an entry-level sales rep who was ranked 41 out of 44 reps during his first 6 months,” Mr. McGuirk noted. “It is grinding away, nibbling away at a lot of little things that turn into big things. For me, it is not forgetting where I came from but also not losing sight about where we are going.”
His career crossed into the paths of many other notable industry luminaries, from Dan Doyle of DANKA to Tom Johnson of Global Imaging and Frank Gaspari of Flex Technology Group (FlexTG)—all of whom played a role in shaping him as an executive. Toward the end of his career, Mr. McGuirk worked closely with Gaspari after ProCopy joined the FlexTG organization.
“Mike was instrumental in what Flex Technology Group has become today; he was a trusted partner and friend, a leader in the industry for more than four decades and a champion for every stage of growth in our company’s proud history,” said Gaspari, FlexTG’s CEO. “Mike had such a positive outlook and he meant so much to so many people. While he will be missed, his legacy will live on inside the lives that he touched in our industry, at ProCopy and throughout all of FlexTG!”
Easy going and personable, Mr. McGuirk’s fun side included creating the “Worst Copier in AZ Sweepstakes.” The event, covered live via radio and webcast, saw the “winner’s” temperamental copier dropped from a crane at 100 feet.
Adam Gregory, the president and CEO of Advanced Business Solutions in St. Augustine, Florida, became friends with Mr. McGuirk while working with him on BTA’s national board of directors. Beyond office technology, the pair also bonded over their love of baseball: Gregory as a Braves fan and Mr. McGuirk as a staunch Mets backer.
Perhaps more than anything, Gregory found him to be a genuine person. “He was a testimony to how to treat people and was thankful for every day,” he said. “His dedication to the BTA was unparalleled.”
Echoing those sentiments is Jennie Fisher of GreatAmerica Financial Services. “He was a spokesperson for this industry, an advocate for the independent dealer and industry partners, willing to share his knowledge and perspectives,” she said. “[He was] always up for a good conversation.”
Mike Stramaglio, who heads The Consortium and has crafted a prolific decades-long career in his own right, described Mr. McGuirk as a “dear, personal friend.” When it comes to role models, Stramaglio felt he set an unmatchable standard.
“We lost one of the kindest, most caring men to grace this good earth,” Stramaglio said. “He was a phenomenal husband, father and friend. I never heard Mike utter a bad word or negative comment about anyone or anything.
“The world is a little darker today because his light was so very bright.”
Mr. McGuirk is survived by his wife of 24 years, Kelly, and their three children: sons Matt and Nick, and daughter Makenzie. Information regarding services was not immediately available.
The story will be updated should any other details come to light.
